4(\^ EXPERIMENT STATION TtECORD. 



their dams. The average gain of the calves ranged from 1.49 lbs. per head per 

 day to 1.98 lbs., both extremes being found with calves from the corn silage lot. 

 The average daily cost of keeping the silage-fed cows which calved was 7.56 

 cts. and those fed shock corn G.84 cts. Before calving the average daily cost 

 was 5.8 cts. and 5.5 cts., respectively. 



" In this test it took approximately twice as much feed to maintain a cow 

 when suckling a calf as it did during her pregnancy. . . . 



" Corn plant fed in the form of silage is more palatable than if fed in the 

 form of shock corn, which may be the cause of its being more efHcient for the 

 maintenance of beef-breeding cows. 



" The yield of crops used in this test was 57.9 bushels of corn and 2 tons 

 stover per acre ; and for crops purchased, viz, clover hay and oat straw, yields 

 of If and one ton, respectively, were assumed. 



" On the above basis approximately one acre of land is sufficient to produce 

 the crops necessary to support a breeding cow 140 days in winter, and this 

 acreage should produce a considerable amount of grain in addition to that neces- 

 sar.v for the maintenance of one cow. 



" The product of one-third acre of land is sufficient to maintain a cow 140 

 days in winter, if we regard the surplus grain produced as offsetting an acreage 

 proportionate to its market value." 



Feeding experiments with cattle, E. R. Lloyd (MississipiJi Sta. Rpt. 1&05, 

 pp. 11-13). — In a comparison of cotton-seed hulls with corn silage for beef 

 production, it was found that 6 steers in 45 days made a total gain of 451 lbs. 

 and consumed 240 lbs. of silage, 1,482 lbs. of hulls.. I.^.'jO lbs.' of hay, and 1,752 

 lbs. of cotton-seed meal and corn chops. A similar lot fed the silage ration 

 gained 570 lbs. and ate 2.97.3 lbs. of silage, 240 lbs. of hulls, and the same quanti- 

 ties of the other feeding stuffs as the first-mentioned lot. " The results show 

 1 lb. of hulls equal to 1..5S lbs. of ensilage. This indicates ensilage to be the 

 cheaper feed." 



Some data are recorded regarding the cost of rearing and wintering cattle and 

 regarding pasture gains. The estimated total cost of raising a "feeder" to the 

 end of the third year was $23.75, the average weight of the steer 9.30 lbs., and 

 the calculated net profit .$13.45. The feed required to finish the steers cost on 

 an average .$11.42 per steer, making the estimated net profit when the finished 

 animals were sold, .$14.10. 



The cost of growing and finishing young cattle was studied with 5 calves, 

 which ran with their dams through the first winter without additional feed, 

 then were pastured through the sununer and wintered as yearlings on hay, and 

 finished and sold the following winter when 28 months old. The cost of feeding 

 to the beginning of the finishing period was $12.99 per head and during the 

 finishing period $12 per head. Taking into account the cost of marketing, the 

 net profit per steer was calculated to be $17.2(5. During the 135 days of the 

 fattening period the " best daily gain was 2 lbs. ; the smallest daily gain was 

 1.65 lbs." 



The estimated cost of wintering a In-eeding herd of IS cows and a bull was 

 $84.10. or $4.66 jier cow. The cattle had access to a rick of hay, and from 

 December 29 to Ajiril 1 were fed a little cotton-seed meal and hulls and as 

 much shredded fodder as they would eat up clean. The above estimate includes 

 the purchased feed hulls and cotton-seed meal, but does not take into account 

 the home-grown hay. 



As regards gain made on pasture, it was found that 3-year-old steers which 

 had been wintered on hay withoiit grain gained 209 lbs. per head on an average 

 when pastured from April 1 to November 15. Yearling steers which had been 

 fed during the winter on corn, cotton-seed meal and hulls made an average gain 



